Will AI Enable Sustainable Project Value? Interview with Nadja El Fertasi

Interview Project Management Expert – Nadja El Fertasi
– About AI in Project Management

Nadja El Fertasi emphasizes the evolving role of project managers in the age of AI. While AI enhances technical aspects like forecasting and risk analysis, it cannot replace human creativity, trust-building, and emotional intelligence. Nadja urges leaders to address emotional responses to AI adoption, including fear and resistance, by integrating emotional intelligence and change management throughout the project lifecycle. She highlights the importance of psychological safety, discernment against manipulation (e.g., deepfakes), and adapting to AI-driven disruption. Project managers must balance leveraging AI’s capabilities with preserving human connection, adaptability, and ethical awareness in rapidly transforming work environments.

Key Points on AI in Project Management:

• AI excels in technical tasks like forecasting, scenario planning, and process automation.
• Emotional intelligence (EQ) is essential to navigate stakeholder relationships and trust.
• Change management must include emotional transitions, like fear, denial, and resistance.
• Human vulnerability is a major risk vector—AI can manipulate emotions (e.g., through deepfakes).
• Psychological safety enables teams to report issues early, avoiding crisis escalation.
• Discernment skills are critical—training people to detect manipulation is more effective than relying on tech alone.
• EQ should be integrated across all project phases, from feasibility to closure.
• Adaptability and curiosity are key traits for leadership in AI-augmented environments.

Nadja El Fertasi is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, masterclass facilitator, and thought leader in emotional intelligence, resilience, and human-centered transformation. With nearly two decades at NATO, she spearheaded initiatives in digital transformation, crisis management, and institutional adaptation, focusing on the human dimension. As a former senior leader at the NATO Communications and Information Agency, Nadja played a pivotal role in major transformations, including secure cloud collaboration. She created the “Emotional Firewalls” framework, blending emotional intelligence with digital readiness to safeguard human potential in an era of disruptive technology. Featured in Hacking Gender Barriers: Europe’s Top Cyber Women and a speaker at global forums like UPU World Leaders Forum and GPMF2025 in Riyadh, Nadja is also a German Marshall Fund alumna and a Cambridge graduate. Nadja is dedicated to equipping leaders and organizations to thrive in an AI-driven world.